Dummies and Eggheads
by Oceanbreeze7
Summary: Challenge:Trying to move into the Avenger's tower was difficult, mostly because of the rooms. They had seen a mechanical kitchen, a closet- garage, a pollo court, a spa even, but a lab? No. The idea that a lab even existed was preposterous, almost silly. Where else would Stark make all of his inventions-was that a robot? What kind of name is Dummy? A Fire Extinguisher? What?


**Hello!**

**This was a challenge given to me, and I know my challenger was very happy!**

**She also came up with the tittle idea- so i hope you like that as well!**

**Remember to review at the bottom!**

**~OB**

* * *

Moving into the Avenger's tower was similar to moving into any new home. The awkwardness, the new discoveries and vague sense of paranoia with every action was present. Both contained the unused furniture, or the boxes of unpacked clothing or possessions. The only difference, was the size.

After all, not many people got lost in a walk in closet. The only solution was having to speak to the AI built into the tower to pull up a _holographic map _to locate the door.

Or the laundry system- built with a scanner which would calculate how irreparably damaged or dirty the clothing was before accepting it to be washed, or sending it to a furnace.

On the bright side, the kitchen unit seemed pretty normal.

Bruce carefully edged the nonstick spatula under the edge of the egg before gingerly lifting it up and onto the expensive plates that had been stacked in the nearest pantry. He smiled, feeling accomplished as he slid the plate over the sparkling granite counter to the bar side where Clint slumped into his seat.

Judging by Clint's state of dress, his damp and clumped hair paired with the firm scowl on his face, it was not hard to deduce his rough morning. The lights illuminating his face also revealed the faint stubble decorating his jaw line, and the reddened glassy eyes.

"Rough night?" Natasha asked, arching one brow as she looked up from the SHIELD supplied tablet, left hand holding a fork used to shift the varying array of fruit on her plate. She was seated daintily on a chair to his immediate left. Her legs were crossed at the knee, forcing her to rotate in her chair until she was sitting comfortably sideways.

Clint scowled, turning to look at her with an incredibly sarcastic smile before he grabbed the nearby fork, holding it like a knife and stabbing it brutally at the eggs. The eggs held no resistance and popped, leaking the runny yolk over the plate in a amusing act of egg violence. The accompanying shriek of metal on the porcelain just made Bruce wince slightly as he looked over.

"What did they ever do to you?" Bruce noted with a frown, popping a piece of bread into the thankfully simple toaster.

Clint looked up from where he was now proceeding to squish the whites between the prongs of his fork, now requiring a spoon to consume his breakfast. "Them? They litter my mind with the horror of puns. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep again, Dr. Banner." The way he managed to say the sentence with a straight face made the entire situation borderline bazaar, or humorous.

"Don't mind him. He can't take a yolk." Natasha spoke, voice plain and relatively boring in exception to the spark of amusement and the slight twitch of her lips.

Clint nearly threw his fork in anger, "No! We are not starting this again Tasha!"

"Starting Egg puns?" Bruce looked at them in disbelief, "You had an argument over egg puns?"

Clint managed to look at him in a look of pure misery, "Oh man Bruce, you have no idea. She's...I swear man. English isn't even her first language and she's so 'punny' it _burns."_ He groaned, chair scraping as he slid down from his chair. His bare feet padded heavily on the floor as he leaned precariously over the granite to try and reach a drawer containing spoons.

"Don't be melodramatic. You know I'm not much of a Comedi-hen." Natasha spoke once more, moving back to pluck a piece of watermelon from her bowl as Clint groaned at the corniness of the pun, spoon now in hand.

Bruce turned as the toaster popped the heated bread, he removed it carefully with a edge of a knife, moving to allow the bread to sway over Clint's plate as the archer returned to his seat heavily. Clint plucked the bread, dropping his spoon into the egg soup. With almost childlike amusement, he tore the bread into large chunks before smothering it in egg.

"So what actually happened this morning?" Bruce asked, Clint chewing his soggy toast before swallowing and looking up partially confused. "Why you look so...exhausted?" Bruce attempted to clarrify.

At once Clint understood, and yanked his spoon upwards, brandishing dangerously as small chunks of soggy bread splattered on the counter. "Oh I'll tell you what happened! So, I wake up all happy and cheery-"

"That's a lie. You're incredibly sour and takes at least twenty minutes before you're approachable." Natasha interrupted smoothly, not looking up from her tablet as Clint rolled his eyes.

"No I'm not- _anyways, _I'm trying to get the shower to work and stuff. _But_, since there's maybe _twenty-"_

"Four," Natasha interrupted once more, tapping on her tablet as this time, Clint took one of her strawberries and threw it at her with practiced ease. Natasha leant out of the way to avoid the red fruit, but she didn't seem that upset with the projectile. Bruce just watched the exchange confused, yet partially amused.

"_Anyways-_ I mean it Tasha," Clint warned, eying her with a playfully warning look as he turned back to Bruce with a grin, happy to have his attention still, "Apparently one of the buttons turns the whole _ceiling _of the shower into like, the 'soothing Brazilian rain' things, and of course the water is _freezing-" _The door opened to the kitchen loudly, the sliding glass tract squealing loudly in protest to the superhuman strength as Steve looked at it sheepishly before offering a small wave. The sound interrupted Clint's story, but Steve's arrival well made up for it. Clint smiled, giving a small wave, story forgotten.

"Sorry about that," Steve apologized, still looking sheepish and taken aback by the size of the room for the three people, "I was just-"

"Egg-cersizing." Natasha cut in smoothly, leaving Clint to slam his spoon onto his plate, egg yolk sloshing precariously.

"Dang it Tasha!" He shouted, standing abruptly. He failed to knock the chair to the ground due to the silent rollers on the bottom, so he settled for reaching out and knocking over the plastic cup of water that was in front of Natasha. The muffled clattering noise as the cup hit the granite was childish and ineffective but helped represent Clint's frustration as he stormed away. His feet slapping on the ground as he pouted, brushing past Steve who stepped out of the way.

Steve blinked, watching the scene with confusion before looking at Natasha and Bruce, the latter who was currently mopping up water with a paper towel.

"Uh- what did I miss?" Steve blinked, causing Natasha to smile in amusement as quickly she schooled her face into a serious expression. She rotated, looking at Steve with a grave certainty that alarmed him.

"Clint was traumatized by eggs as a young child. Try not to bring the topic up around him- he's still a bit sensitive to that." Natasha spoke, not blinking until Steve backed up slowly, hands scrabbling for the glass door so he could retreat once more.

Bruce looked up, Steve having abandoned the room leaving the two alone. The assassin was looking at her fruit, trying to find anything in exceptions to cantaloupe in her bowl. "So..I didn't take you for a jokester". He spoke, voice calm and laden with dry humor.

She smiled, picking up a lone chunk of pineapple that had managed to evade her fork. She paused, holding the pineapple up as she looked at it contemplatively, rotating it in the light from the pot lights above her. She smiled glancing up to meet Bruce's eyes and dryly adding, "My sarcasm has ended the careers of Las Vegas stand-up comedians. Fear me, Dr. Banner."

Bruce was surprised to say, that was the most he laughed since he moved in.

x-(X)-x

Several other accidents ensued well before the Avengers became used to their new home.

Some events were small, common for any household family and although were amusing, were not that big of a deal. (No Clint, throwing plates doesn't simulate the same abilities as a Frisbee. No Steve, technology hasn't advanced enough for someone to _think _about bolting bookshelves to the wall. No Natasha, we're grown adults. We're too proud to have nightlights illuminating hallways. So what if there's a plant in the way- oh. It's a cactus. Sorry Tasha.)

Of course, as well as the common small incidents, there had been a fair share of...odd, accidents that had proven hilarious to the point of tears.

There was a point where Clint was determined to fulfill his childish dream of swinging on a chandelier. It was quickly proven that chandelier's are definitely not strong enough to hold grown men, even if they were jokingly 'part hawk'.

Clint had manage to coax Thor into testing if the flagpole myth was true or not. It wasn't. Not only did Thor have to regain his dignity from an incredibly unmanly yelp after the pole snapped under his weight outside the sixty third floor window, but Tony had to agree to pay for the unlucky hotdog stand to be repaired after being skewered once the flagpole landed.

Natasha had applied red nail polish, only for Clint to have mixed in Peruvian red dye, which stained her nail beds a hideous pink which still refused to come out of her nail cells.

Steve had an incident where his conditioner had been filled with Nair. (Of course, Steve had never used conditioner, Thor eventually came to borrow it once discovering the 'magical softening properties' and was rather baffled by its effects).

After the failure of pranking Steve, Tony had found the keys to Steve's motorcycle, conveniently parked in the parking lot across the street. A few bills here, and the American Chopper was now a _stunning _shade of daisy white with little graphic baby chicks decorating the sides. Steve's horror was well worth the failed attempt before.

_Someone _(Still not caught but all evidence pointed to Clint) managed to put superglue on the handle of a coffee cup once discovering Tony's habit of pacing or ranting wildly while holding the beloved cup in a unrelenting grip.. It was an..._interesting _fiasco, to explain to a surgeon to remove the skin anchored to a porcelain mug plastered with a fat pug dog wearing a bikini.

All in all, the various disasters and mayhem had eventually brought a single idea to the forefront of everyone's mind.

Tony vanished daily, sometimes not appearing for hours, sometimes days on end. All that they knew, was that he went to his 'lab'. Even _Bruce _had failed to see it. They had seen everything else, library, home theater, pool, bowling lane, even a _Pollo court. _(The idea of horses in a tower was asinine, so the real reason of the court was still to be seen).

But a lab? No. The idea that a lab even existed was preposterous, almost silly.

It was there, the information and logical conclusion that Tony _had _to have some sort of lab. He kept emerging from long periods of time with a new invention or idea he had to run by the group.

This time, they wanted to know.

"Avengers!" Tony announced loudly, sliding into the room, skidding to a stop on the marble flooring as his half rolled off socks retained no friction. He pulled out something small and similar to a headphone, tossing them in the air where Natasha grabbed it with her right hand, pulling it close to her face to investigate. Clint leaned over as well, peering into her small hand with curiosity.

It was small its body made with a hook around it like a question mark, where at the bottom it was sleek and compact like a glossy black beetle.

Knowing that he had everyone's attention, he quickly tossed out the remainder, each the exact same in shape and size. Each remaining male caught them from the gentle toss that Tony had provided. They carefully investigated the device, running blunt calloused fingers or thin dainty ones over the metal-but-it-_wasn't_-metal, feeling along the seams with curiosity.

"I'll bite. What is it?" Clint asked, picking it up and tossing it between his palms, investigating it for any loose parts, even rattling it near his ear to try and hear any gears.

Tony grinned, turning and already displaying where it was adorned on him- hooked around his left ear with the black beetle resting just behind his lobe. From its dark glossy shell, Bruce could pick out a faint blue glow between the black segments.

He displayed his hands, pointing to it with a smug grin while he announced, "Tadaa!" With a near song like quality to his voice. Thor glanced at his own, and without hesitating tried to mimic Tony's actions.

Although messily, and with a few blond strands trapped between skin and the metal device, it rested rather snuggly, which was surprising considering the thick jaw of the god.

Thor blinked, looking at Tony and tapping it, tilting his head back and forth, "Is the insect illuminated?" He asked, voice a low rumble while Bruce smiled and Clint chuckled.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked, looking confident while after a small nearly inaudible'beep!' from Thor's device, it started glowing from under the cracks, showing that it was working.

"So...feel any different?" Steve asked, looking at his device while Thor frowned, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Nay, I feel naught better." Thor frowned, looking over at Bruce who was looking puzzled.

_"You sure there, Lightningbug?"_

Thor jumped, looking to his left for the source of sound. As his eyes rested on the grinning Tony, they widened. "Sorcery!"

It was evident that the others quickly realized that the small device was for communication. They glanced at their own devices, tapping them slightly to and gain the same illumination that Thor's currently possessed.

"I present to you, Hero-Hearing!" Tony presented with a flourish, hands outstretched. He paused, looking at his hands considering before vibrating them and grinning.

Clint looked bored, "Yeah, nice Jazz Hands Michael Jackson. You make these Thor-proof?"

Tony rolled his eyes but nodded, waving his hand until the slightly glowing blue on his ear dimmed to a low shimmer. He easily slid the device off, brandishing it although everyone had a copy resting in their palms.

"Hero-Hearing has been proven to be fireproof, able to neutralize electricity- yes Static Cling that means you and your lightshow are okay-" Tony spoke, looking pointedly at Thor who grinned boldly afterwards. "They're _also _able to withstand several G-force, up to twelve thousand feet underwater, uploads to The Cloud and able to survive the weight of a beached Humpback whale." Tony rattled off.

Bruce looked amused by Tony's explanation. Clint eyed his before tossing it up and catching it again, arching one eyebrow, "A Humpback whale? Not a Blue whale?"

Tony managed to look startled, yet amused, "A Blue whale? Why would I have measurements for _that?"_

Natasha gave Tony a look of disbelief while Bruce managed a soft snort to cover his laughter.

"So, uh," Steve started, clearing his throat uncomfortably while he fiddled with the device, "This won't break? Even if something hits me in the head?"

"Well, your head would break before that, but I don't think I'm ready to depart from you're stunning looks Honey Buns." Tony grinned, batting his eyelashes while Steve instantly stiffened and looked away, suddenly distracted with the small device being fiddled by his large hands.

"Yeah Yeah- what _I _don't get is the Cloud thing," Clint noted with a frown, "I mean, why _Cloud?"_

Bruce blinked, looked at Thor (who seemed just as oblivious), then looked at Tony. Natasha didn't seem to mind, and was instead gently trying to pry the metallic shell off with her long, still faintly pink nails.

"Why...Cloud?" Tony eyes narrowing in seemingly misdirected anger, "Why _Cloud? _Because ITunes has the taste of a prepubescent teenage girl!"

Clint paused, looking at Natasha who gave a long withering sigh.

"I mean- Hannah Montana-"

"Actually, She goes by Miley now," Bruce interrupted, shrinking into the chair with a satisfied smile as it seemed to fuel Tony's angry storm.

"Nicki Manaj- _Taylor Swift!"_

Steve paused, looking at Thor who seemed to be as perplexed as him.

Tony paused, seeming to recognize both the uncaring, or puzzled expressions. He practically deflated, expression altering to distress much too quickly to be authentic. He threw his hands up, swirling around in an exaggerated movement where his shirt bellowed out slightly in a way a Tux or a Suit would have heightened his appearance. Instead, it only highlighted the ratty tears and thin splotches of grease or oil staining the hem.

"You know, for being a genius, I expected a better name then 'Hero Hearing'" Clint paused, looking at Tony pointedly, "The Avengers do not belong on a cheesy Tonka toy."

"Tonka makes cars!" Tony groaned, shaking his head although he did not bother to attempt to hide the smile that turned the corners of his mouth upwards, revealing the wrinkles around his eyes make from smiles and smirks.

"How do these work?" Natasha asked, having stopped from her clawing. The little black shell remained unmarked, a slight amount of nail dust had powdered onto the back, chipped from her clawing.

"Jarvis activates it actually." Tony explained, pointing upwards lazily towards the ceiling due to the lack of physical body, "Of course in my lab you can always override it if something happens- _which it won't." _Tony pointed out, turning to look at Clint who attempted to look insulted by the silent accusation, "And I can get a manual activation code with the suit as well."

Thor tilted his head, looking at Tony puzzled, "And is this a place of secrecy?"

Tony looked at Thor slowly, almost as if the larger man was stunned. "Well Thor, I'm fine with cuddling, but I'm pretty sure the suit won't fit _both _of us."

Thor looked horrified at such accusation, a second to regain his composure and his chest shook with throaty laughs that quickly grew obnoxious.

"Alright there big fella." Clint spoke, leisurely reclining in the chair, rolling the communication around his fingers like a magician with a well used quarter, "Don't strain yourself."

"Nay!" Thor chuckled while using one thick finger to wipe away a tear of amusement, "This lab of what you speak!"

Tony paused, looking...puzzled.

"Yeah, you haven't shown us your man cave yet," Clint spoke, wriggling his eyebrows, "Hiding something?"

Natasha scoffed, "You mean under the disaster of broken gears and elbow grease?"

"I'll have you know my elbow grease is of the highest quality," Tony adopted a completely out of place aristocratic sniff, lifting his head so his chin jutted out to a point, "It's imported from _Prague."_

"You know- we actually haven't seen the lab." Bruce spoke, looking down almost shyly as he confessed, "Even I'm curious what's down there."

Tony blinked, looking puzzled, "You mean that you actually _want _to see my lab?"

Clint shrugged before passing a grin, "Sure thing. No cats right?"

Tony flashed an honest smile, "No cats."

x-(X)-x

They thundered along like a herd of cattle. Feet loud as they rapped against the glass steps, or the overly fancy granite or marble flooring. Although Natasha's steps were gentle, a slight touch as she lithely walked over the stone, Thor's unintentional stomp quickly shifted the equilibrium. Steve's sloppy heavy footed walk also added to Bruce's awkward shuffle, and Clint's slight swagger.

Tony had a slight slouch, back arched and shoulders stretched almost leisurely. He walked down the steps in a near trot, toe to toe as he hurried down. Once he managed to find the bottom of the stairs, he trailed his hands along the left wall, almost as if searching for something hidden on the aesthetically pleasing lights and decorative plants.

"One sec-" Tony grunted, frowning as his fingers flittered around the wall almost as if he was stroking it like a dog "-I'm used to Malibu. I mean, _that _place has glass, much more cheery then this hallway but apparently New York means more safety precautions," Tony continued to ramble as the rest finally reached the landing of the stairs.

Bruce looked around the dim hallway, something painted a shade of bronze that mixed well with the decorative peace lilies, settled in a pot of water every few feet.

"Stark? Why are you feeling up the wall?" Clint asked, leaning against the railing for the stairs. Tony shot him a deadpan look, and sarcastically countered, "Oh well, Drywall. Really good stuff you know?"

It seemed with his words, his still searching fingertips found some sort of pressure pad. The wall indented, sliding backwards and splitting along a seam that was so faint, it was nearly invisible to the untrained eye.

Steve seemed impressed, Thor grinned but didn't seem that surprised by the feat. Tony suspected that on Asgard illusions must have been commonly practiced as a defense. Natasha didn't so much as blink, having probably spotted it even before Tony found the trigger.

"In Malibu you have glass?" Clint asked in curiosity, trying to peer around where the door was now sliding away to make an arch, no doubt set to seal up after them, "So like, anyone can walk in?"

"I doubt Stark wouldn't have a security system." Natasha spoke, a drawl fitted with an affectionate eye roll.

Clint looked somewhat exasperated. "Well, I _assumed-"_

"It has probably as much firepower as a fighter pilot jet," Tony spoke, pausing as if thinking it through before nodding, "Yeah, a jet at the front entrance. If you get through that, then a few more things you know, tear gas, lasers, tazers and a rail gun in the far wall. Minor precautions."

Clint looked stunned, same as Steve. Natasha however grinned suddenly before looking back at Clint, "Wouldn't that just _scramble _you up?"

Clint moved, using the railing he had been leaning against for momentum to swing himself around at Natasha. Of course, there was no danger with the action as Natasha redirected his swing- careful not to hurt him.

Clint caught the tumble- Bruce shuffling out of the way, shoulders knocking into a peace lily. He fumbled, trying to readjust the vase all the while Steve stepped back and Clint tumbled past him. Thor laughed as Natasha pounced after.

A loud whistle startled the group, splitting the two away from the mock duel. They glanced upright with fascination, keen senses trying to locate the beeping and partial grinding.

Tony turned, the sound not at all a mystery. Instead it seemed to rejuvenate him, his eyes lit up in a way that seemed like a child with a new toy.

"Dummy!" Tony spoke, voice not a sing song, but it seemed that was the only description as he bounced on his toes with a youthful glee.

Clint, seeing as he was on the floor and staring up as he heard the words, assumed that they corresponded with him. He straightened, still on the floor as he arched one eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" He made the word longer then required, adopting a near Texan drawl. Tony didn't seem to hear, or didn't even register the words as instead his face split with a smile, straining his cheeks and pronouncing crow lines that Bruce didn't even knew he had.

"Hey! Dummy, I want you to meet the Avengers." Tony grinned, but instead of flourishing his arms to Clint on the ground below, he bounded inside instead. Thor glanced at Steve, who shrugged and made moved to follow, cramming his hands into his jacket pockets as he looked around fascinated.

What they had assumed was a room was instead a small hallway, seven or eight feet tall with somewhat futuristic lighting along the sides. The ground was a different material, instead of granite or smooth stone it had altered to- shockingly, concrete. Already there were marks of burns and thin hairline scrapes on the thick hardened ground.

Their shoes scuffed and the beeping grew louder, curiously Steve peered around the edge where the hallway veered to left, trying to see just how far the greatly misleading secret wall went.

His eyebrows rising betrayed his shock and surprise. As the others glanced out, they too were startled by what could only be a manifestation of Tony's chaotic and innovative creation.

The small hallway expanded to the size of an auditorium, risers separated milling machines from the various tanks of dangerous welding gas. The ground dipped in some low spots, each of these well worn and seared with charred burns or rubber tire marks, although no cars were within sight, not to mention lifting a car to such a floor would be preposterous.

Clint did notice, that although there were great changes in height and elevation, each split apart into different labs or studios by strong pipe fencing- there were no steps or stairs in the flooring.

"Well, this is my lab." Tony stood, standing near a small elevated section where the concrete had been removed in an odd octagon pattern welded in shining metal, dented along the edges.

"What's with the floor?" Clint asked, stepping forward to tap at the pipe railing, surprised to hear the resounding _ding! _echo along to the far edge.

Tony's brow furrowed, but before he could speak a loud beep and squeal cut him off.

From behind a large industrial lathe, a..._creature _emerged.

Clint stared. It stared back. Or- Clint _assumed _it stared back. The single lens, something that resembled a camera lens but seemed much more expensive to belong to a simple Nikon or Cannon. It was mounted on a single stalk, like a microphone stand adapted to hold many more wires and thick plastic or metal ridged brackets.

It beeped once more, turning its 'neck' towards Tony. Tony was quiet, his face frozen in a grin as he nodded, trying to encourage the.._.robot,_ to lurch out.

"Uh...Hello?" Steve asked, voice rising as if a question. Clint gave an awkward wave, hand at his hip as he blatantly tried to fix the height difference. Bruce was the one who actually did something about it. He lowered himself to the ground, one knee resting on the cement while he opened his arms welcomingly.

The robot wheeled itself outwards, slow at first until its entire body was exposed. It's body wasn't chrome or metal plates. The lights weren't LUD nor were the gears brass or pewter. It was...it was small- tiny compared to the wealth of knowledge each of them grudgingly accepted as Stark's creativity. Where a metal plate could rest, were exposed wires, some sections of rubber casing stripped too short, exposing the copper tendrils twisted together clumsily.

It moved forward once more, the slight grinding noise was originating from the wheels, where one was twisted ever so slightly around its socket. The slightly off color tint from the spokes left the group to assume that the wheels were a recent attachment.

It wiggled, the long metallic neck pumping pistons to arch downwards, opening and closing the tiny claw with a nozzle just below the camera. In no way was the action smooth nor fluid, but the roughness and robotic jerkiness seemed to add to the charm. It tilted its lens, childishly snapping its shutters like an inquisitive blink.

Bruce smiled, not making any jerky movements as the robot scuttled forward like a boy with a remote controlled car, jerky and moving in quick fast movements before stopping abruptly. It beeped once more, higher pitch but longer in sound as it observed the group.

"He says 'hello'." Tony's voice reminded the Avengers that they had come for a _purpose- _"His name is Dummy by the way."

Thor blinked, brows furrowing as the robot lifted and lowered its mechanical neck with the assistance of a dirty piston, grinding noise continuing.

"Oh, uh...hi?" Clint spoke, waving to the robot once more before looking back at Tony with a confused grimace, "What kind of name is Dummy? Is it an acronym or something?"

Tony blinked, "What? No. It's Dummy. He's Dummy," Tony pointed, waving one arm towards the robot. Natasha smiled and leant down with one hand extended. Dummy's lights flashed as it glanced towards Natasha then viewed her entirely.

"Do you remember me?" Natasha murmured, tilting her head slightly to the left as her lips curled ever so slightly upwards in recognition of the slightly ragged machine.

Tony smirked, not a smile but instead a mischievous expression. Steve was distracted, drawn away from the redhead's meeting of the robot to question Tony's face. Steve's mouth opened, but before words could be heard- a distinctly surprise feminine yelp and a sudden movement caused Steve to jump away. He instinctively shouted wordlessly, arm flying to his back, seeking for a shield which wasn't there.

Natasha stumbled backwards, one arm twisting up as she ducked away. A thick frothy white foam blasted outwards, the force of it leaving her scrambling as her bare feet slipped on it. Dummy cut off abruptly once the sound of her body thumped against the floor loudly, at once the robot bent forward like a concerned horse, beeping regretfully.

Clint stared in awe, looking at the robot before speaking joyously, "My hero..."

Dummy turned, pointing the black foam filled nozzle at the archer. Clint backed up, eyes widening as his hands rose to both shield his face, and show he was unarmed. "No! I didn't do anything!"

Natasha straightened slowly. She wiped two fingers on a dry spot on her shirt before running them over her eyes to clear the slowly dripping goop. Steve rushed forward, drawing Dummy's attention.

"I- uh, can I help?" Steve asked, fumbling while looking for anything in the immediate vicinity, hands falling on a greasy rag which ultimately was more dirty then Natasha.

"I'm fine Steve." Natasha spoke dryly, Steve immediately blushing at the implications. He took an awkward step back, immediately cramming his hands into his pockets. Once Tony realized what exactly had transpired, he laughed. A nearly hysterical cackle as he leaned against a nearby pipe railing, wiping a mock tear from his eye.

"Oh- nice spangles" Tony snickered, Dummy rushing over concerned at Tony's convulsing laughter. Tony lowered one hand, leisurely running it across the top of the camera lens like he was soothing a startled dog, "Real smooth. You _certainly _have a way with the ladies."

Dummy glanced, moving his camera between Natasha and Tony before giving off several low, upsetting beeps. It lowered its head, as if ashamed. At once Tony's sarcastic mood shifted, looking down at his robot in alarm he lowered himself to his knees and reassuringly spoke, "No it's not bud. You didn't know. If it means the same, she _was _a Monkeywrench-"

"_Excuse me?"_ Natasha spoke, partially spluttering as a soapy white trail managed to sneak into her mouth. Bruce reappeared from behind a granite cutter- a small box of clean paper towels in his grip.

"It's robot-talk. Don't worry 'bout it." Tony dismissed, looking down at Dummy who still seemed rather upset with his accident, "Hey- how about I get you some new oil? The one I picked up from Brazil, you know the one I'm talking about right?"

At once Dummy lurched upwards, camera straightening as- (Clint could almost _swear_ it looked hopeful) it started to timidly advance where Tony kept a tall shelf of various oil cans.

Tony grinned, moving one arm and allowing Dummy to race off towards the shelf. He turned back to the group, searching to find Thor who had somehow managed to escape during the whole fiasco.

"Where's Thor?" Tony frowned, glancing around and leaning precariously over a railing to try and gain a better vantage point. "Jarvis?"

_"Mr. Odinson is located nearest the East suit assembly platform." _The voice seemed to radiate from unseen speakers. The British voice louder- unexpected compared to the quiet sound they had grown used to over the time they stayed in the tower.

Tony craned his head around, trying to look behind a small set of welding equipment. Thor was hunched over, looking at a small gauntlet which was resting on the floor. Unfinished of course, Dummy must have bumped it or perhaps it was a spare or damaged from the most recent fight.

Dummy beeped, alerting Tony that _yes,_ Thor had been found, but _not_ the oil had not been given to him yet.

"Hold on you greedy little toaster." Tony scowled playfully, brandishing a nearby screwdriver at the impatient AI. He tossed the screwdriver, catching its handle once it ended its spinning arc. He glanced skywards towards the ceiling, "Hey Jar, open up will you?"

Tony stepped forward, dropping his screwdriver-baton. He alternated that action with grasping the railing nearest him and using a nearby table as a balance point. He pulled himself, using the bottom railing as a step stool.

Along the walls, lights began to shine- glowing with projectors and light tables as they started to illuminate the walls. Touch screens replaced white walls, movies and statistic reports sliding over glass tabletop slowly. On one wall, the 'Hero Hearing' schematics started cycling through. Revealing the complex circuitry that was inside each of the small devices, still adorning their ears.

Tony rose once more, balanced on the railing towering over everyone else as before their eyes, the entire room morphed from a workshop into something brilliant, technological, advanced- _beautiful._

Tony lifted his arms, spreading them out to help make their eyes glide around the movement the room bustled itself with.

Lights flashing, shelves rolling out while panels along the wall slid out into storage containers filled with scraps and bits of spare parts. Thor stumbled backwards as the floor split open, a suit sliding upwards on display while the next platform adjacent to it split. Suits rose in a slightly timed sequence revealing rows of glittering golden metal in different states of completion.

It felt like a different room. What was once white and cavernous had altered itself in all ways to an bustling center of information, and mechanical prowess. Celadon blue danced across the walls as numerous blueprints displayed their mastery in a endless slideshow of moving parts.

Thor slowly slid backwards, careful not to damage the suit which finished rising with a mechanical shift. He backed up, head tilting upwards towards the roof where the entire ceiling had been concealed behind a light blue sky and lazily slow clouds- a live feed from the roof.

Steve stepped forward, his face an expression of veneration as he slowly reached out, trailing his hand through a hologram of a news feed on mute. He looked at his fingers in silent fascination as the picture scrambled but was reassembled only inches behind his palm.

Clint looked around as well, trailing his hand on a nearby wall. Where his well worn calluses from archery touched, they left a line- a trail of glaucous followed behind. Clint made quick work, a rare small but honest smile found itself on his face as he trailed his hand around, the silvery blue colour following.

Natasha walked over, her silent footsteps lost in the collection of technology. She dropped the wet rag, impervious to her ruined appearance. She stepped forward, Clint adjusting to have his body sheltering her under his right arm in a natural movement. Natasha lifted one hand, gently dragging her own finger along Clint's inept doodles. Behind her pink nails she added her own clearly inexperienced touches in a shimmering carmine that managed to match her eyes and her lips which were pulled back into a breathless smile.

Bruce was captivated by the sight. Not as awestruck as the others, but instead merely nodded with Steve's ecstatic fascination. Steve would point, hand shooting out to try and guide Bruce's eyes to yet another piece of technology that enraptured his thought, if even for a short while. Bruce would smile, comment and Steve would get distracted by a partially built repulsor where Bruce would add another comment.

And there Tony stood on the railing. Tall and proud before his creations, like a conductor before his symphony.

He balanced and adjusting his weight with the most minute changes. He had lowered his hands, now they were crammed into his pockets awkwardly in a scruffy fashion. Palms sweating while his heart rate pounded through his nervousness.

The possibility that they'd- that the group would actually _like _his_-_

He swallowed, the unfamiliar tightness caused him to release a reflexive jerky breath. He blinked again-

Tony felt the tug on his pant leg. He peered down, blinking quickly as Dummy looked up, still grasping the denim in his claw. The nozzle of his fire extinguisher had dried into a thick crunchy layer that contrasted with the black of the nozzle. Dummy's lens had a small drop of the foam incrusted, but the robot didn't seem to concerned with his impaired vision. He tugged again, giving off a worried beep.

Tony smiled, a small action that was hesitant, cautious. He cleared his throat against the uncomfortable slight choking and carefully stepped down from the railing. His feet scuffed quietly against the concrete, Dummy leaning against his side almost as a support.

Tony reached down, smoothing the obstruction on Dummy's lens away into a greasy finger print, but nonetheless better. He took a step, Dummy grinding his gears as he kept pace.

"Sure you-" Tony paused, coughing once (Something which the group failed to notice) to clear the rasp in his throat, "Sure you don't want me to fix that?"

Dummy spun his camera lens around, tilting his head and leaning away, his sign language rejecting the idea already.

Tony smiled, giving a small quiet chuckle as he ran one sweaty nervous hand through his messy hair. He walked, looking over his shoulder.

They were..The Avengers were actually..._impressed._

Tony hadn't ever expected something like this. And he..._liked it._

He smiled, a small but true expression as he slid one hand over Dummy's cool metallic head, turning and walking towards the oil shelf.

"How about that oil, Bud?"

_Fin._

* * *

**~OB**

_**Review**_


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